He Buys a Birthday Gift for a Young Lady
Now, at the windows above, Napoleon caught a glimpse
of a lady in a white head-dress over escaping curls. There
was no mistaking the shapely, if aquiline, features, by
any one who had ever seen prints of the queen. At that
moment he thought she looked down on him, that her eyes
held his. Shabby adventurer or ominous shadow—study-
ing her there so intently from the bridge over the Seine!
Dislike her as he did in theory all of the old regime, he
almost experienced a fellow-feeling for her, another alien.
Even the shopkeepers of whom he made his small pur-
chases recognized him as such. Then the queen moved
away; and a man of about his own age, who had been
staring, more fascinated even than Napoleon, hailed him
—a bit patronizingly, he thought.
"Bonjour, citoyen!" Then, "Well, if it isn't my old com-
rade, the little Bonaparte, from Corsica! And just a lieu-
tenant still! I thought by now you would be a general."
Napoleon recognized his accoster as Bourrienne, once
a schoolmate at Brienne. With the chagrin of a sensitive
nature, he recalled the affection which, boy-like, he had
offered, only to have it chilled by his new-found friend's
superciliousness. Now, therefore, he accepted the invita-
tion for refreshment at the Palais Royal politely but
without enthusiasm. As they talked he found his previous
impressions of Bourrienne strengthened. A fairly gifted
fellow of good address, but rating himself beyond his
deserts, touchy and toploftical! Why, he had been patro-
nizing even in his invitation, ostentatious in urging on his
friend new dishes; and all because he knew his coat was
less rubbed, his pockets better lined.
But then perhaps Napoleon was touchy himself. Im
fact, this was what Bourrienne was thinking as he smil-
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